You don't mess with joe! Let him do it himself. (http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=47467)

What is it with the press corps, only Tapper and Garrett have any balls?

What Vice President Joe Biden meant and what he actually said about traveling and the swine flu are two different things, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told a somewhat snickering press room on Thursday.

The explanation came after Biden, on NBC’s “Today” show, said that in light of concerns over the swine flu, he would not travel in “confined places,” such as an airplane or the subway.

That goes beyond the precautionary measures cited by President Barack Obama, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – all of whom have advised people to wash their hands and to cover their mouth if coughing and nose if sneezing.

“If you’re out in the middle of a field and someone sneezes, that’s one thing,” Biden told co-anchor Matt Lauer on “Today.” “If you’re in a closed aircraft, or closed container, or closed car or closed classroom, it’s a different thing.”

When asked what he would advise his own family members to do if they were traveling by commercial airline to Mexico, Biden said: “I would tell members of my family – and I have – I wouldn't go anywhere in confined places now.”

“It’s not that he’s going to Mexico – it’s that you're in a confined aircraft and one person sneezes, it goes all the way through the aircraft,” Biden said. “That's me. I would not be at this point, if they had another way of transportation, suggesting they ride the subway."

Fielding questions about Biden’s comments, Gibbs said that the vice president was not departing from the Obama administration’s advice to the country.

“I think what the vice president meant to say was the same thing that many members have said in the last few days,” said Gibbs, “and that is, if you feel sick, if you are exhibiting symptoms, flu-like symptoms, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, then you should take precautious, then you should limit your travel.”

ABC reporter Jake Tapper then said, “With all due respect, and I sympathize with you trying to explain the vice president’s comments, that’s not even remotely close to what he said.”

Gibbs responded, “I understood what he said. I’m telling you what he meant to say.”

This prompted loud laughter through the press room as Gibbs maintained a straight face.

noonwitch

05-04-2009, 02:25 PM

I saw Biden make the statement on the Today Show. It's hard to take it back, now.

ralph wiggum

05-04-2009, 03:04 PM

That goes beyond the precautionary measures cited by President Barack Obama, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – all of whom have advised people to wash their hands and to cover their mouth if coughing and nose if sneezing.

They think that is some extraordinary advice when it is simple common sense, for goodness sake! :rolleyes:

They think that is some extraordinary advice when it is simple common sense, for goodness sake! :rolleyes:
I'm surprised they didn't recommend keeping your tires properly inflated as well.

Simple common sense is extraordinary for this administration. :D

However, this sets an interesting precedent. From now on, no matter what blown-brain gaffe Biden makes, the press secretary has the last word on what he really meant. It's hard to imagine how far this could go, but if the late night comics weren't as emasculated as the rest of the media, this could could be really funny material. Example:

What Biden said (while trying to explain why schoolchildren in Iowa perform better on tests than those in D.C.) "There's less than one percent of the population of Iowa that is African American. There is probably less than four of five percent that are minorities. What is in Washington? So look, it goes back to what you start off with, what you're dealing with."

What he meant to say: "Those are mainstream African-Americans who are articulate and bright and clean and nice-looking."

patriot45

05-04-2009, 04:30 PM

He really does supply alot of good stuff! :D

Everywhere I go, crowds spontaneously assemble. They start to cheer... whether I go to a play on Broadway or I'm going home to Wilmington, Delaware. I walk on the train and people stand up and clap.

-- Vice President Joe Biden, on what he feels most humble about since taking office

lacarnut

05-04-2009, 04:45 PM

Ya'll need to quit picking on old Joe. I admire his honesty. Although we are miles apart on policy, he is not a two faced POS like Obama and his Press Sect.

Rockntractor

05-04-2009, 06:07 PM

If Joe Biden becomes the white house mascot what will the dog do?

Odysseus

05-04-2009, 08:15 PM

Ya'll need to quit picking on old Joe. I admire his honesty. Although we are miles apart on policy, he is not a two faced POS like Obama and his Press Sect.
No, he's just a hack politician who's in way above his head. Could you imagine what would happen if he were POTUS?

If Joe Biden becomes the white house mascot what will the dog do?
Probably move up to a better job. If Joe can do it, the dog is overqualified. :D

AlmostThere

05-04-2009, 11:57 PM

Ya'll need to quit picking on old Joe. I admire his honesty. Although we are miles apart on policy, he is not a two faced POS like Obama and his Press Sect.

I know campaigns are one thing and serving is another. But during the primaries Binden told us exactly how unprepared Obama was to be POTUS. He sounded genuinely sincere and worried in his warnings. And then when he is selected to be V.P., Obama is suddenly eminently qualified and doing a spectacular job by Biden's yardstick. It's hard to reconcile those 2 diametrically opposed positions with the word, Honesty.

Odysseus

05-05-2009, 01:02 PM

I know campaigns are one thing and serving is another. But during the primaries Binden told us exactly how unprepared Obama was to be POTUS. He sounded genuinely sincere and worried in his warnings. And then when he is selected to be V.P., Obama is suddenly eminently qualified and doing a spectacular job by Biden's yardstick. It's hard to reconcile those 2 diametrically opposed positions with the word, Honesty.